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Once a young man mentioned to his pastor that he had a love of poetry but that he noticed poetry was never mentioned at church. “Would it be possible,” he asked the pastor, “to introduce poetry sometime into the service?” The following week the pastor obligingly produced a poem. After explaining to the congregation why…
Growing churches know that people respond best to clearly defined terms of membership. When people come to a church family they want to know what it takes to be a member. What are the standards? What is expected of members? In American culture we have a hard time separating the church’s boundaries from those of…
Many types of gates dot the towns and hillsides, cities and industries all around us. These gates can give us a lot of information, if we pay attention to them and really take notice. Some gates are to keep people (or animals) out, and others are to keep them in. And some are so old…
“Duh” has become a word that indicates that we can’t believe that people don’t get it! Perhaps the hint of ridicule associated with “Duh” means that we shouldn’t use it at vestry meetings! It’s heartening to find that even Jesus’ closest friend and associates didn’t always get it. After the Resurrection some of the disciples…
The disciples were behind locked doors because they were afraid. They were behind locked doors on Easter Day, and a week later, they were still huddled behind locked doors, frightened, hiding, and, at least in Thomas’ case, filled with doubt. They hardly appear to be the beginning a movement that will transform human history. But…
Let us prefer nothing to the love of Christ; And may he bring us all to everlasting life. Brothers and sisters, we come together this Easter Day to celebrate. Christ is risen, and we affirm: “The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!” We know that this is a happy day, a day to put on our…
Dear Friends in Christ: On this most holy night, in which our Lord Jesus passed over from death to life, the Church invites her members, dispersed throughout the world, to gather in vigil and prayer. For this is the Passover of the Lord, in which, by hearing his Word and celebrating his Sacraments, we share…
After Jesus had washed the feet of all the disciples, then Jesus turned their attention back to the table. He took bread and wine into his hands, blessed them, and shared them with these, his closest friends. “Do this in remembrance of me,” he said. We can imagine the disciples beginning to look questioningly at…
Two rivers meander through my life: the South Anna River, which I cross every day when I travel to and from the church I serve, and the James River, which defines the city of Richmond in which I live. The river in Richmond is both treacherous and beautiful. I often cross it and wonder at…
Imagine a scene in an old black-and-white movie. At first, all you see on the screen are feet — old feet, middle-aged feet, children’s feet — caked with mud and marked by oozing sores from a long forced march, from slipping and staggering in the ankle-deep muck because these feet seem to be carrying more…
[A note: The Prayer Book rubrics (BCP, p. 273) say that if the Liturgy of the Palms precedes the service, the Creed and Confession “may be omitted at this service.” One effective way of approaching this liturgy might be to preach before the reading of The Passion on Palm Sunday-first of all, as a way…
How human Samuel is in today’s reading! His story begins with him grieving over the disobedience of Saul, over the loss of a great king to selfish interest and, if we read further in the story, ultimately to madness. Just like us in our Lenten journey, Samuel reluctantly agreed to God’s call to set aside…
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